1 86 FIRST LESSONS IN RIDING. 



custom in many riding schools to place the curb and 

 snaffle reins in the rider's left hand and leave her to 

 find out their use as best she can, but as the lady will 

 require to devote almost the whole of her attention to 

 her seat, and as in hunting she will ride with both hands 

 on the reins, it is better to give her a snaffle rein to 

 hold in each hand, and not introduce the curb until she 

 is sufficiently secure in her seat to be able to manipulate 

 it properly. The unusual feeling of sitting on the back 

 of a moving animal will often cause a lady to lean 

 forward and grip her crutches, in order to retain her 

 seat, especially at the turns in the school or enclosure, 

 where she may be receiving her lesson, but the in- 

 structor should watch her carefully, and should call a 

 halt when the pupil is observed to be riding her 

 crutches instead of sitting well down in her saddle, 

 and obtaining the necessary steadying power without 

 bringing the weight of her body forward. The rider 

 will not require to grip her crutches while proceeding 

 in a forward direction at a walk, although their aid 

 may be necessary when executing a turning movement, 

 and she should also be ready to apply grip at any 

 moment of emergency. She will at first experience 

 some difficulty in being able to dissociate "balance from 

 grip, and as her efforts to do so may be somewhat 

 fatiguing to her, her first lessons should be of short 

 duration. Fig. 92 shows an easy, comfortable position 

 when riding at a walk. 



After the rider has mastered the art of sitting 

 comfortably and firmly in her saddle at a walk, she 



